Fireplace construction



March 1, 1938. D. CAGE I FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 9, 1935 DarylGaye,

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 STATES rarer orrice 2,110,0o marches ooNs'raUcrroNDarcy L. Cage, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July- 9, 1935, Serial No. 30,545 2 Claims. (or. 126121) Thisinvention relates to fireplace constructions, and an important object ofthe invention is to provide an improved air'heating device forfireplaces which is simple and durable in construction and exceedinglyefiicient in use.

With the above general object in view, and,

7 others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention isbetterunderstood, the present invention consists in the novel featuresand construction hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a fire place constructionprovided with an air heater constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3-3 of-Figure 1.

Referring in detail to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, there is shown a brickfireplace including a rear wall 6, relatively thick sides I, a bottom 8,a top 9, and a partial front wall Ill depending for a.

short distance from the top 9 so as to form the usual fire space or openfront recess H in the lower portion of the fireplace structure and achamber at the top of the-fireplace structure which is closed at thefront and aifords communication between the fire space and the lower endof the vertical chimney l2. The lower portion of the rear wall 6 has theusual vertical front surface, while the upper portion of said rear wallhas a front surface which slants upwardly and forwardly in the usual wayas shownclearly in Figure2. A shallow recess is provided in the frontsurfaces of thelower and upper portions of the rear wall 6 and in theinner surfaces of the side walls I as shown in Figures 2 and 3 toprovide an expansion space for a purpose which will laterbecomeapparent. An ash pit I l is constructed beneath the bottom of thefireplace, and the bottom wall of the latter is provided with an openingis affording communication between the bottom of the fireplace and suchashpit. This opening I5 is controlled by a suitable ash dump device.

The present invention includes an air heater consisting of a unitarysheet metalstructure having a hollow horizontal or transverse upperfront portion l6 adapted to fit within the front portion of the upperchamber or space of the fireplace directly beneath the top 9 and behindposed of hollow rear and side members I! and i8 respectively which areclosed at the bottom and. communicate with each other, the hollow sidemembers I8 communicating at their upper ends with the ends of the hollowupper front portion I6 through upwardly converging hollow sideconnecting portions l9. The top of the back member l1 terminates belowand in spaced relation to the inclined bottom wall of the upper frontportion iii to provide a throat 20 between the top of the rear member H,the rear of the upper front portion l6 and the side connecting portionsI 9, for thepassage of smoke from the fire space H to the chimney l2.The rear wall of the upper front portion is and the top of the rearmember I! are parallel and inclined rearwardly and upward- 1y so thatthe threat is correspondingly inclined for unobstructed passage of thesmoke from the fire space to the chimney. The unitary sheet metal heaterstructure further embodies a plurality of spaced upwardly and forwardlyinclined fiues 2| providing communication between the top of the hollowrear member I! and the rear of the hollow upper front portion I B, andbetween which the smoke and products of combustion from the fire spaceare adapted to pass in flowing to the chimney. As shown clearly inFigure I fireplace, and the rear member I l is-adapted to fit againstthe front surface of the rear wall 6 of the fireplace above the recessl3. The recess l3 thus forms an expansion space which permits rearwardexpansion of the outer walls of the major portions of the rear and sideheater members H and I8 when they become highly heated. This effectivelyavoids serious rupture of the masonry and distortion of the heater.

The present invention provides means for preventing dlstortion andforward buckling of the inner walls of the hollow rear and side membersIT and I8 of the heater. For this purpose, angle irons 22 are weldedalong the corners formed at the junctures of the inner walls of saidrear and side members 11 and i8, and suitable spaced parallelreinforcing bars 23 and 24 are welded to the front and rear surfaces ofthe vertical lower portion of the inner wall of rear member l1. Also,the inner wall of the rear member I1 is reinforced at the juncture ofits vertical lower portion with its forwardly and upwardly inclinedupper portion by means of a transversely arranged contact the inner wallof rearmember ill at spaced points and at the longitudinal edges of saidstrip 25, which longitudinal edges are welded to the inner wall of rearmember l7. combination of these three reinforcing means, the inner wallsof the rear and'side members I7 and I8 are effectively braced againstdistortion and forward buckling under the influence of heat. Asillustrated, cold air inlet flues 26 may be formed in the sides I of thefireplace near the front of the latter, for the purpose of permittingpassage of cold-air from the lower portion of the room into the lowerportion of the heater, the hollow side members l8 of the lower portionof the heater being provided with openings 21 registering with the fiues26. Also, a suitable horizontally elongated hot air outlet opening 28may be provided in the partial front wall III of the fireplace inregistry with a similar opening in the front wall of the upper frontportion 56 of the heater, for direct'passage of heated air into theroom. The cold airinlet fiues 26 and the hot air outlet flue 28 may beprovided with suitable registers including frames 29 set in the finesand covered by ornamental gratings 30 in the front portion l6 of theheater.

A damper is provided for the smoke flue or throat 20 of the heater, saiddamper comprising a closure plate 33 hinged in the sides of the upperthereof.

rear portion of flue or throat 20 at 34 and adapted to extend across andcompletely close said flue or throat 20 when swung forwardly anddownwardly. Welded to a part of the heater at the of a link 38; A nut 39is threaded on the bolt 36 and affords means whereby frictionalengagement may be set up between the sides of lever 31 and the adjacentsides of washers placed between the arms and lever 31 on bolt 35. In

By the this way, the lever 31 will be frictionally maintained in anyposition to which it is swung or adjusted about the pivot'bolt 3t, thusinsuring retention of damper 33 in any desired adjusted position. Thelower end of lever 31 has an aperture M in which apoker or the like maybe engaged for conveniently actuating and regulating the damper 33.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction andadvantages of the wardly inclined upper portion of the inner wall ofsaid hollow rear member, said reinforcing strip being transverselyarched rearwardly to only contact said inner wall of the rear member atspaced points and at opposite sides of said junc-- ture along thelongitudinal edges of said'strip,

said longitudinal edges of the stri'pbeing secured to said inner wall ofthe rear member, andvertical reinforcing angle bars secured atcorrelower'portion of the inner wall of said rear member.

2. An air heater for fireplaces including a sheet metal hollow rearmember having a vertical lower portion and a forwardly inclined upperportion, a transversely arranged elongated reinforcing strip arrangedrearwardly of and at tiiejunci present invention will be readilyunderstood and. 1

' spondingpoints and in spaced parallel relation to the front and rearsurfaces of the vertical ture of the vertical lower portion and theforwardly inclined upper portion of the inner ,wallof said hollow rearmember, said reinforcing strip being transversely arched rearwardly toonly contact said inner wall of the rear member at spaced points andatopposite sides of said Juneture along the longitudinal edges of saidstrip, said longitudinal edges of the strip being secured to said innerwall of the rear member, and vertical reinforcing angle bars secured inspaced parallel relation to the front surface of the vertical lowerportion of the inner wall'of said rear member.

DARCY L. CAGE.

